Method of manufacturing moulded articles of wood particles with cover sheets

ABSTRACT

The disclosure is of a method of manufacturing ornamental relief panels or other moulded articles, characterised in that it comprises the steps of coating a surface of a cover sheet (for example a veneer), placed on a support, with an adhesive without water, placing on this surface a first pre-moulding element, filling the latter with particles of wood previously dried and impregnated with adhesive without water, lightly compressing these particles, placing upon the first pre-moulding element a second pre-moulding element, likewise filling the latter with particles of wood lightly compressed in sequence, removing the two pre-moulding elements, placing upon the articles of wood an adhesive-covered surface of a second cover sheet (for example a second veneer), and finally covering the assembly with a definitive mould and subjecting it in a press to regulatable pressure and temperature.

United States Patent (191 Gottlieb [111 3,816,208 June 11-, 1974 METHODOF MANUFACTURING MOULDED ARTICLES OF WOOD PARTICLES WITH COVER SHEETS[76] lnventor: Victor Gottlieb, 5-7, Rue de la Fontaine, Saveme, France221 Filed: Jan. 12, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 217,111

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Prase 156/182 2,831,794 4/1958Elmendorf 156/276 Primary ExaminerDouglas J. Drummond AssistantExaminer-Caleb Weston Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Young & Thompson 571ABSTRACT The disclosure is of a method of manufacturing ornamentalrelief panels or other moulded articles, characterised in that itcomprises the steps of coating a surface of a cover sheet (for example aveneer), placed on a support, with an adhesive without water, placing onthis surface a first pre-moulding element, filling the latter withparticles of wood previously dried and impregnated with adhesive withoutwater, lightly compressing these particles, placing upon the firstpremoulding element a second pre-moulding element, likewise filling thelatter with particles of wood lightly compressed in sequence, removingthe two we moulding elements, placing upon the articles of wood anadhesive-covered surface of a second cover sheet (for example a secondveneer), and finally covering the assembly with a definitive mould andsubjecting it in a press to regulatable pressure and temperature.

2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the manufacture of articles, especiallyof wood, comprising reliefs or sculptures.

The known manufacture of such articles is actually effected by thesculpture of the reliefs or designs or other formations directly in thesolid wood.

It goes without saying that such a manufacture, more or less as a craft,is of a very high net cost. Moreover, the articles thus manufactured, byreason of their constitution of solid wood, are notably subject to theatmospheric conditions. This is the case more especially for thosearticles which are subject to heat and/or humid- Ity.

In order to alleviate these disadvantages, the invention has for its aima method of manufacture of moulded articles effected by means ofparticles 'of wood enclosed between two supports formed for exam-' pleby cover sheets of veneers of wood or by leaves of base paper.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a method ofmanufacturing moulded articles, characterised in that it comprises thesteps of coating a surface of a cover sheet (for example a veneer),placed on a support, with an adhesive without water, placing onthissurface a first pre-moulding element, filling the latter with particlesof wood previously dried and impregnated with adhesive without water,lightly compressing these particles, placing upon the first pre-mouldingelement a second pre-moulding element, likewise filling the latter withparticles of wood lightly compressed in sequence, removing the twopre-moulding elements, placing upon the particles of wood anadhesive-covered surface of a second cover sheet (for example a secondveneer), and finally covering the assembly with a definitive mould andsubjecting .it in a press to regulatable pressure and temperature.

The temperature and pressure are functions dependent upon the thicknessof the article to be made.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEW IN THE DRAWING for the making of anarticle in conformity with the in vention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Thus, as illustrated,the method of manufacture of moulded articles made of particles and ofcover sheets or veneers of wood comprises the following operations:

Upon the adhesive-coated surface 1 of the veneer is placed the firstframe or pre-moulding element 4 which is filled with particles of wood 5treated, that is to say impregnated or coated with adhesive.

The depth of this first frame or pre-moulding element 4 is a function ofthe smallest thickness of the finished article.

After a light compression of the particles of wood contained in thefirst element 4 one places upon this latter the second frame orpre-moulding element 6, which is likewise filled with particles of wood7, which are also lightly compressed.

Next the two frames or pre-moulding elements 4 and 6 are removed, andupon the particles of wood is placed the adhesive-coated surface 8' of aveneer 8, and upon the surface 8" without adhesive of the veneer 8 isplaced the definitive mould 9, on the lower surface of which in contactwith the veneer 8 are provided the reliefs which are to be provided onthe finished article.

This assemblage is then placed in a press (not shown) acting in thedirection of the arrow 10.

By way of example, for the manufacture of a moulded article according tothe method of the invention, with depths of relief of a maximum of 12mm. and a minimum of 8 mm. with two veneers of a thickness of 0.8 mm,the pre-moulding elements 4 and 6 will have respectively a depth of 32mm. and 16 mm, whilst the pressure will be of the order of 25 kilogramsper square centimeter at a temperature in the region of centigrade.

By way of modification, the veneer utilised may be covered, before orafter the manufacture of the moulded article or in the course ofmanufacture, with an overlay; it may likewise be impregnated with resinsuch as melamine, polyester or analogous resins.

According to a further modification of the invention the wood veneer canbe replaced by one or more sheets of basic paper, which are likewiseimpregnated with resin, covered with a decorative paper and with anoverlay" leaf.

-The method of the invention can be utilised more particularly for theeconomic manufacture of moulded articles reproducing reliefs of allkinds.

Particularly interesting applications may be the manufacture of doorpanels, furniture panels, or other decorative panels for walls,ceilings, or the like.

This method can likewise find an application in the manufacture ofcomplete doors ready to be mounted, as well as in such partitioningelements, notably in the building trades, in the manufacture of coffins,and so What is claimed is:

l. A method of manufacturing molded articles decorated in relief,comprising coating a surface of a cover sheet with adhesive withoutwater, placing on the coated surface of the cover sheet-a first moldhaving a mold cavity having an open top and an open bottom, filling thefirst mold with particles of wood previously dried and impregnated withadhesive without water, lightly compressing these particles in the firstmold, placing upon the first mold a second mold having an open top andan open bottom but having a mold cavity smaller than the mold cavity ofthe first mold, thereafter filling the second mold with particles ofwood previously dried and impregnated with adhesive without water,lightly compressing the particles in the second I mold, removing thefirst and second molds, placing on the particles of wood anadhesivecovered surface on a second cover sheet, placing the assemblythus produced in a press-having a central decorative relief that andpressure thereby to produce an article having the appearance of asculptured panel.

' 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said pressure is about 25kg. per square cm. and said heat is at bears against the exposed side ofsaid second cover 5 a temperature of about 140C.

sheet, and subjecting the assembly in said press to heat

1. A method of manufacturing molded articles decorated in relief,comprising coating a surface of a cover sheet with adhesive withoutwater, placing on the coated surface of the cover sheet a first moldhaving a mold cavity having an open top and an open bottom, filling thefirst mold with particles of wood previously dried and impregnated withadhesive without water, lightly compressing these particles in the firstmold, placing upon the first mold a second mold having an open top andan open bottom but having a mold cavity smaller than the mold cavity ofthe first mold, thereafter filling the second mold with particles ofwood previously dried and impregnated with adhesive without water,lightly compressing the particles in the second mold, removing the firstand second molds, placing on the particles of wood an adhesivecoveredsurface on a second cover sheet, placing the assembly thus produced in apress having a central decorative relief that bears against the exposedside of said second cover sheet, and subjecting the assembly in saidpress to heat and pressure thereby to produce an article having theappearance of a sculptured panel.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, inwhich said pressure is about 25 kg. per square cm. and said heat is at atemperature of about 140*C.